Authenticity has always been important but with advancing technology, it is now key to having a successful online presence. As a business owner, you rely on what people think and say about your brand. If your social media marketing campaigns lack authenticity, your customers will notice.
Measuring Authenticity
It’s difficult to measure authenticity. There is no analytical report that can define it for you or tell you if you are doing a good job. Authenticity in social media marketing is something that you have to work at daily, over the course of time. The age-old saying of “slow and steady wins the race” definitely applies here. You have to be constantly demonstrating that your brand is authentic to earn the trust of your audience.
What Authenticity Means
When creating your social media campaigns, you need to consider if you are being true to your core values and your audience. Consumers want to see that brands have morals and stand by them. According to a study by Cohn & Wolfe, people believe that “an authentic company owns up to their mistakes and is honest with customers. Doesn’t sugar coat anything or sweep problems under the rug.” Companies should also do what they say they are going to do and say what it does. In this same study, 89% of respondents said that it is important for businesses to act with integrity at all times. If you haven’t thought about authenticity in social media marketing before, now is the time to do so.
How to be Authentic
Here are a few questions you can ask yourself when analyzing the authenticity of your brand:
- Are you being honest about your products and services?
- Are you listening to your customers?
- Is your content relevant and engaging?
- Does your company stand for something other than making money?
- Are you willing to show your flaws?
Once you’ve answered these questions, you can begin to explore ways to implement authenticity in your social media marketing campaigns.
The Tone of Authenticity
One of the most important aspects of your online presence is your brand voice and tone. An authentic brand voice is one that is consistent across all channels and encourages engagement. Another important element is organic content. Rather than trying to advertise to your audience, use organic content to tell a story. You can utilize user-generated content to support your organic content and recruit influencers to connect directly with your consumers. If you find that some of your customers are responding negatively to your content, or leaving unhappy reviews, do not delete the comments. Respond in a timely manner and even offer to take the conversation offline to satisfy the customer. Brands too often make the mistake of hiding or deleting negative comments, which diminishes trust and authenticity.
In conclusion, honesty is the best policy when it comes to authenticity in social media marketing. Learn how to use social media for your business now by completing the form below to subscribe for updates. Already using social media for your business? Leave a comment below with how it’s impacted your business. I read every one.
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